The Genesis League: Origins: Ch. 1
CHAPTER ONE ~Jayce~ THE EAGLES OF DAWNMARCH The wind blew through my ginger hair, drying my cracked lips like the sun on concrete.The sky was a blazing, firey orange as the sun set low behind Mount Olympus. I ran my fingers down the cold, steel scabbard of my blade, my eyes peering up into the oncoming darkness of night. I cracked my knuckles silently, my eagle vision kicking in as the glistening white moon rose up into the sky on an invisible chain. The stars glimmered bright in the sky as the wind picked up its speed. The edges of my vision began to cloud a blue-green color as my normal eyesight began to change. Tonight was the night. If anything was going to happen, it would be now. Once I was transformed, there would be no turning back until I was done. Suddenly I lurched forward into the ground, the spiraling feeling of transformation beggining in my gut. Golden blood began to pour off of my lips like a waterfall as my skin began to peel off, revealing the shimmering, brown feathers underneath. I cringed, biting my bloody lips with such force that they started bleeding. My fingers began to shrink, until there was nothing left of my arms but sleek, feathery wings. My nose elongated, becoming hard and sharp. I could feel more air rushing into my lungs, my heart beating faster and faster as my bones began to think inside my muscular body. In a matter of minutes, I sat there on the Cliff of Eudoros, my once blue and now golden brown eyes glistening in the moonlight. I flapped my wings, my leathery bird feet kicking up gravel as I did so. The transformation was complete- I was ready to fly with the Eagles of Dawnmarch. The Eagles of Dawnmarch were the most powerful group of animal companions in the world. Composed of what they called, "The Flock', the Eagles of Dawnmarch had all been humans during life. They had all served my father, Lord Zeus of the Olympians. For their loyal service, they had been rewarded with a different, yet powerful, life-after-death. My father had transformed them into building-sized eagles, with golden feathers and deadly eyes. With beaks as sharp as steel, and claws that could rip through mountains, the Eagles were now the carries of Zeus's lightning bolts, and the protectors of the holy city of Dawnmarch. And now I was going to fly with them. No, I wasn't dead. But Zeus had gifted me with this golden opportunity to fly amongst the greatest kings of the sky. There was a loud crunch of the rock as Thamryis, the leader of The Flock, landed next to me. He had been a demigod son of Zeus, who had served our father well during life. As the most powerful eagle alive, he had naturally become the leader of the pack. Thamryis was the biggest eagle of them all, almost half the size of a sky scraper. His eyes were silver, unlike the others', which were gold. His eagle head was clad in a steel, customized helmet. His already sharp-as-blades claws were covered in hook-shaped, steel claws. He was the ultimate flying menace. "Are you ready, hatchling?" he asked, adressing me by the common name for rookies. "Y-yes, brother," I said, my voice trembling slightly. Thamryis glared at me through his cold, dark helmet. "Silence your voice. There can be no uncertainty in the sky. You must fly with confidence, or you will die." I nodded swiftly, tucking my wings in tight. "Yes sir." Suddenly, Thamryis let loose a blood boiling screech. In a matter of seconds, three other Flock members were behind us. "Welcome Myrmidon, Machaon, and Chandra. Tonight is the the night of the traditional Flight of Fathers. We will fly past Mount Olympus and bathe ourselves in the Waters of Triton, under the Categrem Waterfall. We will be cleansed of last year's imperfections, 'reborn' to start a new. Are you ready my soldiers?" The three birds squawked out in agreement, followed by a late squawk from me. Thamryis walked to the edge of the Cliff of Eudoros, staring out into the misty, dark covered night. He opened his wings up, creating a "Y" in the air. "We fly." The Eagles launched themselves off the cliff face, flying faster than any bird I'd ever laid my bold eyes upon. I followed in pursuit, flapping my wings like a shameful maniac. I could feel the wind dying beneath my wings as I descended lower and lower to the earth below. I was ashamed to be the son of the sky lord at this moment, sudden death a certainty for me. But suddenly there was a loud squawk from above me. I looked up to see the youngest Flock member, Machaon- a 13 year old who had been met with a sad death in life- flying above me. "Having trouble there, Jayce?" he said in his thick, Greek accent. I winced, laughing nervously. "Yeah! A little bit!" "Don't flap! Feel the wind beneath you! You are a son of Zeus, the wind will guide you whether you want it to or not!" Machaon flew ahead, gliding ever so gracefully above me. I took a deep breath through my beak, and spread my wings out, straightening them firmly. As I felt myself grow closer to the earth below, there was a sudden gust of wind and I was lifted high into the air again. I felt the urge to scream out in pleasure as I flew softly and gentley through the air. The mountains and hills of Greece whipped past me faster than anything I'd ever witnessed before, and I realized I wasn't going as slow as I thought. I felt as if my father had sent a gentle, spring breeze into my stormy heart, filling it with freedom and peacefullness. "We are approaching the Categrem!" Thamryis called from ahead. The roar of the waterfall was oh so powerful as we approached. It was beautiful, the waterfall as. It was comprised of an omega shaped rock formation, the watefall pouring ot from the arch of it. There was no way around it, except over the top of the arch. We would go through it with ease, just as planned. I closed my eyes as the roar of the water grew louder, like a brave lion protecting his pride lands. As I flew closer and closer, time seemed to slow down. Nothing seemed to move, and the only thing I could hear were the winds and the water. Tonight, I would clense myself of all the sins and imperfections I had obtained and committed the previous year Tonight I, Jayce Adras, would be born a new. As I opened my shimmering, star-like eyes, my winged body slammed into the face of the waterfall. The shimmering, clear water washed over me like a holy bath, drenching me in cold, divine liquid. I breathed softly and peacefully as I sored through the Waters of Triton. My heart beat slowly and comfortably, as if all my evils and demons had left my body. I oepend my eyes wide as the watefall slowly disappeared behind me, the only thing in sight now being the beautiful, rolling green hills of Greece in front of me. "How does it feel?" I cocked my head to the left as Thamryis appeared next to me. I took a deep breath, speaking softly. "It feels amazing..." Thamryis chuckled beneath his sharp helmet, his eyes dead set on the black horizon. "I shall see you soon brother." "What do you mean?" I asked as he flew ahead. "You will know in time. For now, enjoy life. For you may not always have it." And with that, my journey with the Eagles of Dawnmarch was over. Category:The Genesis League: Origins Category:Bladewood 2.0